


the future, i'll see you there

by hanbrough



Series: two hearts hooking up on a friday [2]
Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: (sort of), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Study, F/F, High School, T. J. Kippen & Amber Are Siblings, read the notes to understand
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-01
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2020-07-28 18:35:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20068663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanbrough/pseuds/hanbrough
Summary: It's senior year - the time of college applications and growing up. Amber deals. Andi helps, in her own way.





	the future, i'll see you there

**Author's Note:**

> part 2 of my ambi series! i wrote the first part before the finale aired, so in this timeline, andi goes to jefferson hs for two years, and then transfers to sava her junior year. here, amber is a senior and everyone else is a sophomore.
> 
> this is mostly a filler for the juicy stuff to come in part 3, but i tried my best! if you enjoy, feel free to follow me @lgbtsmoak on twitter and @sambuckysharon on tumblr :)
> 
> also i just picked a random dream school for amber lol

_ august 1 _

Today’s the day.

Amber runs to her computer, opens up the page she’s had bookmarked for months, and then blinks, hands poised over the keyboard.

The blank fields of the Common Application stare back at her, as if daring her to write something, anything that could be worthy of it and the schools she’s considering applying to. 

_“Your college essay needs to stand out,”_ the voice of Jefferson High’s 11th grade English teacher, Ms. Sheppard, echoes in her head. _“Everyone’s going to look the same on paper.”_

It’s weird - for so long, the thought of college had been her escape from Shadyside, a way to run from her family’s money problems and never look back that it’s almost jarring now how close she is to her dreams. 

Jolting out of her reverie, Amber glances at the application again. Ideas swirl in her head, but none seem good enough. 

At the very least, she reasons, she can start by filling out the personal info section.

_ october 1 _

“How are college apps going?” 

Amber takes her head out of her hands to see Andi cautiously approach, taking a seat beside her. Andi leans in to kiss her cheek, and she smiles. 

“Fine. I’m in a rut at the moment, but I’ll be fine,” Amber replies, drumming her fingers against the desk. Her half-completed supplemental sits in front of her, the keyboard cursor blinking more aggressively than she’d like. 

Andi reads what she’s got so far, eyebrows raised and mouth twisted up in a slight smile. “Georgia Tech, huh? That’s kind of far.” 

“Yeah, well,” Amber shrugs. “It’s my dream school.” And it is - she had fallen in love with everything about it the moment she checked out the school website. She’s not at the top of the class, but she thinks her grades are decent enough to get in. It’s no Ivy, but then again, she doesn’t need it to be. 

“Why don’t you take a break?” Andi suggests, leaning on her shoulder. “You’ve been working nonstop; you deserve it.” 

“I will, as soon as I’m done,” Amber remarks, typing away as a new idea pops into her head. Unfortunately, it doesn’t lead anywhere, and she plops her head on the table, groaning in defeat. Andi slides off her shoulder in surprise. 

“Don’t worry,” Andi reassures her gently, once she’s regained her composure. “You’re great. They’d be stupid not to accept you.”

“But everyone who applies is great!” Amber exclaims, wringing her hands. “The early action deadline is in two weeks. I need it to be perfect. I need-” 

“Amber,” Andi cuts her off in the middle of her rant. “You’ll be _ fine_.”

“Are you sure?” Amber asks. If Andi notices the slight tremor in her voice, she doesn't comment on it. 

“Of course I am,” Andi replies, taking her hand. “Now let’s go to the Spoon.”

_ january 20 _

Her hands are shaking. 

She hadn’t been able to sleep last night, only succumbing to a fitful doze when the rays of the sun began peeking through the window. 

Now it’s 3 minutes before, and Amber slowly logs into the portal, eyes glued to the tick, tick ticking of the seconds hand on her clock. 

3\. 

2\. 

1\. 

A new notification appears on screen, and Amber restrains herself from shrieking. Trembling, she clicks. 

_ Dear Amber Kippen, _

_ We are pleased to offer you an acceptance into the class of 2024…. _

And that’s when she lets out her scream.

\--

Afterwards, when congratulations have been extended and shouts of excitement fade into the silence of the morning, TJ sits down by her on the couch. “Did you tell Andi yet?” 

Andi ...oh. She’d been so caught up in her acceptance and running around the house to let her family know that the other girl had temporarily flown out of her mind. 

Amber shakes her head. “No. Not yet.” 

“Well...are you going to?”

“It’s still early,” Amber mutters, fiddling with her phone and avoiding her brother’s all-too-knowing gaze. “She’s probably not even awake yet.” 

“Amber, she’ll be so happy for you,” TJ says. “She knows it’s your dream. You should tell her.” 

Amber sighs. “I don’t know if I should even accept the offer.” 

“What?” TJ looks at her incredulously. “Just five minutes ago you were making us get out of bed - at 9 am on a Saturday morning - because you were so excited. Now you might not even accept?” 

“That’s why it’s early action, TJ,” Amber tries to argue. “You don’t have to accept it.” 

“But you’ve worked so hard to get here,” TJ points out. “You even got a scholarship and everything. Money isn’t a problem now - you’d be dumb not to go.” 

“Well, I don’t know if I want to go anymore, alright?” Amber snaps, and immediately regrets it. 

“Sorry,” she mutters. TJ nods, and she knows he wasn’t really mad in the first place. 

“Talk to Andi,” TJ says in an infuriatingly gentle tone. “She’d want you to do the right thing.”

_ may 1 _

_Congratulations on committing, class of 2020!_ the elaborate golden banner reads. 

Jefferson High School’s cafeteria is crowded with excited students and proud families. Amber spots several students with the University of Utah’s Swoop mascot proudly emblazoned on their maroon sweatshirts, and a select few wearing the logos of the Ivies. Amber looks down fondly at her own black and yellow Georgia Tech tee. 

It’s crazy to think that they’re nearly at the end of the road. Most of the graduating class has grown up together - 12 years of memories and adventures that will abruptly end when her peers split off to begin the journey of adulthood. 

But it’s not quite done yet, Amber reminds herself, with finals and graduation and senior week plans coming up. And there’s the summer, too. 

Pushing through the crowd, Amber heads toward the door when a familiar hand grabs her.

“Andi,” she greets her, “I was-”

“Can we talk?” Her girlfriend gestures anxiously, and Amber’s eyes widen in confusion. “In private?” 

“Of course,” Amber replies as Andi drags her to a spot in the corner of the room. “What-?” 

“I have something to tell you,” Andi says, nervously tucking a stray hair behind her ear. “I got accepted to SAVA. I’m going there next year.” 

“What’s SAVA?” Amber asks. 

“Shadyside Academy of Visual Arts,” Andi clarifies. “It’s a magnet art school. I applied during the school year, and I’m transferring after term ends.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were applying, Bambi?” Amber nudges her. “We could’ve worked on applications together.” 

“You seemed stressed, and I didn’t want to pile on your problems with my own app,” Andi admits, looking strangely relieved that Amber had taken the news so easily, as if she had expected her not to. 

“It wouldn’t have been a problem,” Amber says. “But, um, well, I’m happy for you!” 

“Thanks,” Andi says, and though she still seems tense, she’s smiling. “And I’m happy for you, too. Georgia Tech is a perfect fit.” 

“Yeah,” Amber fiddles with her shirt, looking away. “It is.”

_ may 27 _

“And so we begin the rest of our lives. Congratulations, Jefferson class of 2020!” 

Cheers and shouts rings out as the valedictorian finishes his speech, with many of the class tossing their graduation caps up in the air. It feels so cliche, but Amber joins them, clapping and whooping excitedly before heading off to find her friends and family. 

Andi hadn’t been able to make it to the ceremony, so it’s only at the grad party afterwards when Amber finally gets to see her girlfriend. 

“Congrats!” A familiar body flings herself into Amber’s arms, and she laughs as she twirls Andi around and around before leaning into a kiss. 

“I’m so proud of you!” Andi exclaims, looking flushed and breathless. She’s everything Amber could ever want and more. 

But then the reality of being thousands of miles away from her family, _ Andi_, really starts to sink in, and Amber feels sick to her stomach. Andi notices something’s up, and seems to know what she’s thinking. 

“So, long distance, huh?” Andi comments. 

“Most couples don’t make it,” Amber hears herself saying in a strangled voice. 

“Yeah, well,” Andi shoots back fiercely, “we’re not most couples.” 

“We’re not,” Amber agrees, smiling despite herself. 

“We can do it,” Andi says softly. “We can do it all." 

\-- 

She whispers it again later that night, by which time most of the guests have already left. They’re lying on the ground, stargazing, hands wrapped around each other, and for one moment, Amber wills herself not to contemplate too hard about the future and what’s to come.

_ Yeah, Andi,_ she thinks to herself. _ I know we can_.


End file.
